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Schools officials brief Council on progress of buildings plan

“Everybody’s watching Baltimore to see how we do. If we mess this up, we’ll be the laughing stock of the country.”

Above: From left, Schools COO Keith Scroggins and CEO Gregory Thornton at the City Council hearing. Deputy Mayor Dawn Kirstaetter is on the far left.

Schools officials briefed the City Council yesterday on the progress of the 21st Century School Buildings Plan, a project to renovate or rebuild 23-to-28 of Baltimore’s aging and dilapidated school buildings by 2020.

The plan had suffered serious financial challenges from its inception, and City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young warned school officials that they couldn’t make any more miscalculations.

“Everybody is watching Baltimore now to see how we do. If we mess this up, we’ll be the laughing stock of the country,” Young said, speaking about significant changes since the ambitious building initiative was approved.

When the school system and the Maryland Stadium Authority originally adopted the plans in January 2013, they said they would be rebuilding or restoring 30 to 35 schools.

Later, saying they had underestimated the true cost of the construction, the school system announced it would be able to construct or renovate only 19-22 schools – about 60% of its original estimate.

Then, after employing severe cost-saving measures – and deferring promised renovations to the most expensive buildings, such as the Lake Clifton complex, which will not be rebuilt at all – the system was able to realize $257 million in savings.

It then revised the number of new/renovated school buildings up to 23 to 28.

Young asked school officials for a clear explanation why the initial projections were so far off the mark.

Schools COO Keith Scroggins explained that the Jacobs Report, a 2012 analysis of school buildings, focused on bringing the buildings up to “adequacy” but not to “21st century standards.”

About 75% of school buildings were constructed between 1946 and 1985, and 23% were constructed prior to 1946.

“We have the oldest school buildings in the state,” Schools CEO Gregory E. Thornton said.

Year 1 Schools

Plans for Year 1 and Year 2 school construction are under way, Scroggins  told the Council.

Currently, 11 school buildings are slated to be completed in Year 1 of the renovation project.

These are Arlington Pre-K-5, Arundel Pre-K-8, Cherry Hill Pre-K-8, Forest Park High, Fort Worthington Pre-K-8, Frederick Elementary, John Eager Howard Elementary, Lyndhurst Pre-K-8, Patterson High, Pimlico Pre-K-8 and the Robert Poole Building.

Of those, only three are replacement schools (Cherry Hill, Fort Worthington and Patterson); the others are renovations with additions, according to a handout from school officials.

The balance of Year 1 schools will be complete by summer of 2018, while Frederick and Fort Worthington are on schedule to be completed by summer of 2017.

Robert Poole, Lyndhurst and John Eager Howard are slated to be finished by December 2017.

Year 2 Schools

Currently, 15 schools are on target to be renovated or replaced in Year Two of the buildings plan.

They are: Govans Elementary School, Mary E. Rodman Elementary, Medfield Heights Elementary, Lois Murray Pre-K-8, James Mosher Elementary, Calvin M. Rodwell Elementary, Robert W. Coleman Elementary, Bay-Brook Pre-K-8, Sharp Leadenhall Elementary, Northwood Elementary, Montebello Pre-K-8, John Ruhrah Pre-K-8, Canton Building, Pre-K-8, Calverton Pre-K-8, Cross Country Pre-K-8, Harford Heights Elementary (co-located with Sharp Leadenhall), Walter Carter Pre-K-8, (co-located with Lois Murray) and the Fairmount Harford building.

Year 2 schools are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020.

New or Renovations?

The Maryland Stadium Authority will be managing all new school construction and some of the renovations,while City Schools will manage the bulk of the renovations, school officials told the Council.

At this point, the projected cost of the renovation/new construction is an average of $309/square foot, according to school system documents.

Young asked Scroggins how many Year 2 schools would be new construction.

Scroggins replied that it wasn’t known beyond year 1 how many would be “new” because assessments of the buildings had yet to be completed.

Many of the renovations were substantial and included additions, Scroggins noted.

“A renovation can be just as good as a new building,” he said.

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